NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

Some people consider the blood of Jesus to be nothing more than a metaphor and think that it has little or nothing to do with us today. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

You need to know that salvation and its many benefits are obtainable only through the blood of Jesus. His blood plus nothing, minus nothing, paid for your sin. His blood plus nothing, minus nothing, redeems you, restoring you to favor and fellowship with God.

The blood that Jesus shed for you was real blood. His blood deals with real problems and brings real solutions into your life. However, it does not affect your life until you put your faith in the blood.

Faith in the Blood

The Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith. This means your faith is supposed to have an effect on your life; it is supposed to be the determining factor in everything about your life. You should live by faith, and your faith needs to be in the blood of Jesus.

We are told in Romans 3:25 (KJV) that God set Jesus forth “to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins.” That simply means that restoration to fellowship with God and His blessings has been made available through faith in Jesus’ blood. The New Living Translation says it this way: “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.”  

Just because Jesus shed His blood doesn’t mean it automatically changes your life. You must place your faith in His blood to receive the benefits of His sacrifice.

It is only through the blood of Jesus that you are translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into God’s Kingdom. Colossians 1:13-14 (TLB) says that our heavenly Father “has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who bought our freedom with His blood and forgave us all our sins.” Nothing but the blood can save you.

Sacrifices

The Bible teaches in Hebrews 9:22: “According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Under the Old Testament law, the blood of innocent animals was shed for the sins of the guilty. However, the blood from these sacrifices only covered past sins and had to be repeated again and again.

God’s Word teaches that we have a better covenant, established on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). Under the Old Covenant, sins were only covered, but with the New Covenant, “the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He has “washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

It gets even better! Hebrews 9:12 (AMP) says: “He (Jesus) went once for all into the [Holy of] Holies [of heaven], not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves [by which to make reconciliation between God and man], but His own blood, having found and secured a complete redemption (an everlasting release for us).” Jesus’ blood secured a complete redemption that lasts for eternity. He did not leave anything out – everything is included. He planned and provided for you to experience freedom in every area through faith in the blood of Jesus.

His blood was a one time, “once for all” sacrifice: once for all sin, bondage, guilt, sickness, disease, poverty, curses…the list goes on. There are no special problems or unique situations that are not covered or that God has overlooked in the plan of redemption. Jesus’ blood paid it all. Nothing but the blood can do that!

Perfect for Imperfect

Hebrews 10:13-14 (Message Bible) describes what Jesus did this way: “It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, He did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.”

By His single sacrifice, Jesus did EVERYTHING for EVERYONE who would EVER take part in the purifying process by putting faith in the blood.

Under the Old Covenant, when you sinned, the priest examined the sacrifice you brought. He didn’t examine you or your sin, only your sacrifice. In fact, in Malachi 1:7-8, the prophet rebuked the people for bringing lame and blind sacrifices, saying they were unacceptable to God. But if your sacrifice was accepted, then you were accepted and your sins were covered.

Today, we are still accepted based on our sacrifice, not our behavior. Thank God that we have a perfect sacrifice! 1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Even Pilate, who examined Jesus before the crucifixion, declared, “I find no fault in this Man” (Luke 23:4).

Your relationship with God is not dependent on your behavior. When you put your faith in the precious blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, you are accepted and your sins are forgiven (Ephesians 1:6-7).

A Clean Conscience

The Bible calls Satan the “accuser of the brethren” and says he accuses you before God day and night (Revelation 12:10). He keeps pointing out your failures, shortcomings and sins because he wants you to think that your relationship with God is more about your behavior than it is about the blood. But 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Aren’t you thankful that the blood of Jesus frees you and cleanses your conscience?

Indeed, the blood cleanses you inside and out. Hebrews 9:13-14 says, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

If you listen to the devil’s condemnation, you will believe that God is unable to bless you or use you. However, when the blood cleanses your conscience, everything changes! The devil can try to talk to you about sin, but instead of thinking about sin, all you think about is the blood. You are more blood-conscious than you are sin-conscious so you can freely and wholeheartedly serve God.

Blood, Word and Testimony

In Revelation 12:11 it says, “And they (that’s us, the believers) overcome him, (that’s the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Phillips’ Translation says it this way: “Now they have conquered him through the blood of the Lamb, and through the Word to which they bore witness.”

Notice that these three things are necessary to overcome the enemy: the blood of the Lamb, the Word of God and your testimony. You overcome Satan when you personally testify what God’s Word says Jesus’ blood did for you. You overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word you speak.

There is no overcoming victory unless you have God’s Word in your heart and you are speaking or testifying to what the blood has done for you. Your faith needs to be in the blood of Jesus.

Applying the Blood

Jesus paid too great a price for your freedom and victory for you to be bound and defeated! Be encouraged to agree with God’s Word and begin now to declare your faith in the blood of Jesus.

Here’s a confession you can make:

Jesus Christ was a perfect sacrifice, and He made me perfect before God (Hebrews 10:14). He took His blood into the holy of holies and placed it on the mercy seat. The blood is speaking today, saying that mercy, forgiveness, acceptance, healing and deliverance are mine.

I apply faith in the blood of Jesus over my family, over my mind, over my thoughts, over my past, over my future, and over my conscience. His blood cleanses me from sin in all its forms and manifestations (1 John 1:7, AMP) so I will not be guilty, condemned or accused.

I have peace with God through the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:20), and I am blameless in His sight (Colossians 1:22).

My faith is in nothing but the blood of Jesus!

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(All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.)